Description of the attraction
Collie Berici - lovely hills surrounding Vicenza on all sides. The monuments of history, ancient villas and gardens, tiny towns and villages located on them, undoubtedly deserve the attention of tourists, as well as the surrounding nature itself - sometimes reminiscent of a well-groomed English countryside, and sometimes similar to dense thickets. The hills were formed by marine sediments, and the oldest rocks here are about 90 million years old. In recent years, a number of attempts have been made to exploit the natural and economic value of these places, ranging from various celebrations in Nanto, whose economy is based on the extraction of stones and the cultivation of olives and truffles, to the Vine Festival in Barbarano and the Cherry Festival in Castenero. Local restaurateurs have often organized all kinds of events for connoisseurs of good food and wine.
One of the routes introducing Colli Berici begins in Brendol, a small village just outside Vicenza that reminds many of the picturesque landscapes of Tuscany. It is located between the Monti Comunali mountain and the San Valentino plain. Some of Brendola's sights include the 11th-century Rocca dei Vescovi episcopal fortress, the neo-Gothic parish church of San Michele, the 15th century City Hall with an aerial loggia, the incredible shell-shaped facade of the Santa Maria dei Revese church and the charming Piazzetta del Vicariato with her Villa Pagello, Villino Malyuta and the Vicar's House.
From Brendola, the road leads to Grancone, and further, from Bocca di Ancieza, begins Val Lyon - the largest valley of Berici. Among the many interesting opportunities that the valley has to offer tourists are rich fossil deposits from the Eocene period, ancient medieval mills, dense forests and turbulent streams, quarries and stone-cutting workshops scattered among the rocks. The town of Campolongo deserves special attention - one of the most attractive in Veneto. It is worth exploring the Villa Dolphin from the beginning of the 16th century with the dovecote of Torre Colombara. And in the neighboring villages are Villa Custozza-Lazzarini and Villa Fracanzan-Piovene with a museum of agricultural machinery. A couple of kilometers from Orgiano lies Sossano, which produces delicious ham. You should definitely stop by in Lonigo, which amazes with its architecture: real dwellings are the 14th century Palazzo Pisani, Villa Giovanelli, Rocca Pisana and the Madonna dei Miracoli temple. Equestrian races and speedway competitions are held here every year.
From Lonigo the road goes through Poiana Maggiore with its Palladian Villa Poiana to Noventa Vicentina. There you can admire Villa Barbarigo and the grand Cathedral with a painting by Tiepolo. In the town of Barbarano Vicentino, a circular route begins through the very heart of Colli Berici. It is worth stopping here at Palazzo dei Vicari, known as La Canonica, a 15th-century Gothic structure. And here the Grape Festival is held annually. From Barbarano, you can easily get to the Scudelletta Gorge - one of the most secluded and harsh places in Berici, over which the old church of San Giovanni in Monte rises.
The town of Nanto, in addition to its truffles and olive oil, is famous for the international festival of sculptures, which are carved from local soft stone; near Lumignano, there are the caves of Brojon, Guerra and Mura with the remains of settlements of the early Stone Age and here they grow peas "bisi", which is the most important ingredient of the classic risotto …No less interesting is the town of Costazza with the Covoli caves, which, with the help of an incredible duct system, connect Villa Trento, Villa Eolia, Villa da Schio, Villa Gardzadori, Ca 'Molina and Viola Trento Carli. These caves are, in fact, the world's first "natural air conditioning" system. Today mushrooms are grown in Kovoli.
From Longare the road goes along the Bacchiglione river and leads to the town of Montegalda, over which the ancient castle of Castello Grimani-Sorlini rises, surrounded by cypresses and gardens. In the immediate vicinity of Vicenza is Lake Fimon, dotted with water lilies, water walnuts and buttercups. And the end of your acquaintance with Colli Berici can be a tour of the Palladian Villa La Rotonda, Villa dei Nani and Valletta del Silenzio by Fogazzaro.
